Elizabeth Boyd
Elizabeth Boyd, née Elizabeth Clarke, was a student at Shimer College in the Seminary period, graduating in 1884. She was a musical instructor, composer, and educational administrator. Writings *"Woman in Music", 1893 *"Flag of a Thousand Battles" *"Teaching Music in Graded Schools without a Supervisor", 1899 Mentioned *in Frances Shimer Quarterly 3:2, p. 33: *:Mrs. Elizabeth Clarke Boyd, '84, Educational Secretary of the Woman's Auxiliary for the Diocese of Kansas, was elected Vice-President of the Kansas State Music Teachers Association. She sends subscription from her home in Newton, Kansas, and hopes that the number of subscribers may increase sufficiently to justify the issuing of an additional number. Profiled *by Kristine Schmucker, Harvey County Historical Museum, 2015: *:Some people leave a legacy that stretches beyond their lives. Elizabeth Clarke Boyd, who moved to Newton in 1887, created a foundation for many cultural activities in Harvey County. *in The Congress of Women, 1894, p. 570: *:Mrs. Gaston Boyd was born in London, England. Her father was a descendant of William the Conqueror and her mother of the House of Rutland. She was educated while young by eminent private teachers. Upon the death of her parents she came to America, was graduated from the Boston Conservatory of Music, from Mt. Carroll Seminary, and afterward studied with Madam Hall, Lyman Wheeler and Charles R. Adams. In London her studies were continued with Madam Abbott and with Randigger. She has traveled extensively in this country and abroad. She married Gaston Boyd, M. D., of Newton, Kan., in 1887, resigning her position as head of the Department of Music in Bethany College, Topeka, Kan., upon that event. She was appointed member of the World's Advising Council of Music, and president of the Kansas World's Fair Music Board. She is a professor of music, director of music in the public schools, director of the Newton Musical Union and director of St. Mathews Church choir. Mrs. Boyd is a member of the Episcopal Church. Her postoffice address is Newton, Kan. *in "Elizabeth Clarke Boyd", 1923, reprinted in "Pioneer Women of Harvey County", The Homesteader 3:2, May 2007: *:Death released the spirit of Mrs. Elizabeth Clarke Boyd at Bethel hospital at four thirty Friday afternoon, November 1st (1923) after a lingering illness extending over many years. Newton thus loses one of her most valued women and one who has done great things for the city along cultural lines. *:Mrs. Boyd came to Newton as the bride of Dr. Gaston Boyd in 1887 and assumed the care of his motherless son and daughter, Edith and Eric, who were then ten years of age. Prior to her marriage she had been a teacher of voice at Bethany College Topeka, and was a musician of note, having been graduated from the Boston Conservatory of Music and her ability having been recognized as a concert singer. *:Newton was just coming into its own along educational lines, and Mrs. Boyd became the supervisor of music in the Newton schools, being the first to hold that position here. *:She had a faculty beyond that of a teacher; that of recognizing talent and a number of Newton people were encouraged through her to look toward higher attainment. While her group of brillant pupils was large, perhaps she felt the greatest pride in Orville Harrold, now with the Metropolitan Opera company of New York City. *:Her ability as a writer was recognized, as well as a vocalist and she was affiliated all through the years with the Kansas Authors Club and the Kansas Association of Music Teachers. *:Years ago she organized and directed a choral society known as the Newton Musical Union which gave opportunity for musical expression to the adults of the city. In those days the Newton chorus was a participant in the Musical Festival at Hutchinson and when the evening came when all of the choruses from over the state were to sing, a number enmasse, it was Mrs. Boyd who was chosen director of the large number of singers. *:She has always been a member of the Episcopal Church, being a native of England and read in the Church of England. Her talent was given to St. Matthews parish as long as her strength would permit and the music of the Church was her special delight. *:Besides being a musician and author of note, she was a wonderful hostess. She told the writer one time, that her greatest pleasure was in planning nice parties for her friends, and many and varied were the delightful functions held in her home to which her friends were invited. *:Dr. Gaston Boyd, a pioneer physician in Newton, passed on four years ago. Since that time her constant companions have been her son Eric Boyd and his wife to whom she was devoted and who were devoted to her. She also took great pleasure in a niece of Dr. Boyd, Miss Lucille Boyd, who has made her home with her for several years. While not at home with her mother, Mrs. Pierce Steinkirchner (formerly Miss Edith Boyd) has spent much time here coming from her home in Wichita, and Mrs. Boyd’s deep and abiding pleasure was in Mrs. Steinkirchner’s two children, Elizabeth (Mrs. Boyd’s namesake) and Frank Steinkirchner Jr. It was fitting that the most beautiful music should be a part of the service, which was held at her home at 408 West Broadway. Chants were sung by Mrs. Elsie Randall Needles, Mrs. Helen Hoisington, T. W. Randall and Henry Cook. *:Mrs. Needles also sang a beautiful solo, but the number which touched the hearts most deeply was a Vesper hymn of which the words and music were the composition of Mrs. Boyd herself. *:Wonderful flowers graced the casket and rooms as the silent tribute of many friends; members of the Womens Christian Temperance Union, of which she had been president, and of the Treble Clef Club of which she was the organizer and first president, attended in a body. Interment was made in Greenwood cemetery in the family lot. (EKR Nov 13 & 23, 1923, p. 2). References Category:Composers